Ilya Repin: St Nicholas preventing an execution

One story relates how, while Nicholas was visiting a remote part of
his diocese, several citizens from Myra arrived with the news that, in
his absence, the ruler of the city, Eustathius, had condemned three
innocent men to death. Nicholas set out immediately for home. Reaching
the outskirts of the city, he asked those he met on the road if they
knew what had happened to the prisoners. Informed that their execution
was to be carried out that morning, he hurried to the executioner's
field, where he found a large crowd of people and the three men
kneeling with their arms bound behind them, awaiting the blow of the
sword. Nicholas passed through the crowd, took the sword from the
executioner's hands and threw it to the ground, ordering that the
condemned men be freed from their bonds. Later the ruler sought the
saint’s forgiveness. Only after a period of public repentance did
Nicholas absolve him.